SF Gay Bars Drop Face-Scan ID Tech Amid Backlash

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Privacy rights advocates are doing a victory lap after two famed San Francisco gay bars agreed Thursday to ditch facial recognition technology after a boycott campaign. In a move first reported by the Gazetteer, Castro district bars Badlands and Toad Hall said they would pause their use of the AI-powered platform Patronscan, marketed as an easy way to verify IDs and ages and flag problem patrons across all venues, after learning of the boycott campaign’s myriad privacy and accuracy concerns.

“Effective immediately, we are pausing the use of Patronscan while we review our ID verification and security practices,” Brian Aranda, director of operations at both bars, said in a statement. “Our security teams will continue to thoroughly check IDs manually during this time. We appreciate everyone who has shared their concerns and remain committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

Fight for the Future, the advocacy group behind a campaign that was joined by Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello, the Coup’s Boots Riley and dozens of other high-profile musicians, said the local venues’ decision marked a major victory and left only three San Francisco bars — Mix, Oracle Park and 1015 Folsom — still using face-scanning technology, per AI Action’s Club 1984 website.

The Gazetteer reports:

Tune-Yards, Deerhoof, and other Bay Area bands are among hundreds of artists who’ve agreed to only appear at venues that remove surveillance technology like facial recognition during their shows.

Organized by Fight for the Future, a digital rights group, the pledge states: “We want everyone to feel safe and welcome at our shows, so we commit to not allow venues to use invasive surveillance tech like facial recognition at shows we play by updating our rider to require this or boycotting venues that won’t accommodate this request.”

According to Reem Suleiman, a Fight for the Future campaign director, the pledge has been posted on their website since 2023, but it gained new momentum this summer, after reporting from Wired and Gazetteer SF sparked public outcry over invasive surveillance at bars and entertainment venues across the country.

There’s more at both links.

“We won’t stop until gay bars across the country commit to never using this type of invasive and discriminatory surveillance tech at the door.” – @evangreer.bsky.social , Director of @fightforthefuture.org via @sfchronicle.com

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/f…

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— Fight for the Future (@fightforthefuture.org) August 10, 2026 at 1:57 PM

Everyone give a massive thanks to the dozens of prominent artists that have sgiend our pledge to boycott venues that use AI surveillance.

It’s already working!

We need to move fast to leverage this victory to put pressure on the remaining bars doing this.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/f…

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— Evan Greer (@evangreer.bsky.social) August 10, 2026 at 11:55 AM

“AI surveillance technology is creepy for anyone going to a show or a club, but it’s particularly dangerous for members of the LGBTQ+ community who are facing increased attacks on our rights and safety” – @evangreer.bsky.social of @fightforthefuture.org

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/f…

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— S.T.O.P.—Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (@stopspyingny.bsky.social) August 10, 2026 at 4:47 PM

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